Friday, 28 November 2014

December holidays are around the corner which means the holiday season is quickly approaching! This is a very busy time for vacationing. Children are off of school, parents have time off work, and you are looking forward to escaping the winter blues! Will you be celebrating Christmas in the heat and sunshine? Sit back, relax, soak up the sun and do it all stress-free!

Just like tenants and car-owners require insurance for protection, it is really important to have a good travel insurance policy in place when travelling. You can do all of the right things – plan accordingly and effectively, pack in the best way possible, take all of your vitamins leading up to the departure date in attempt to avoid the winter cold, but there are other factors that are beyond anyone’s control which can unfortunately affect your travel plans. Being unprepared can be extremely damaging and risky.

It is true that there are certain credit cards that cover travel insurance and so, if you booked your travels through your credit card, you may be well-covered. It is important to take the time to read over, evaluate and know what exactly your credit card covers. A full comprehensive travel insurance policy will include emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation and trip interruption, theft and/or loss of baggage/valuable and 24 hour access to a representative which will allow for adequate medical attention should you require it.

Now, is your entire family covered? This may be something you want to look in to as well. Does your son and daughter live at different addresses? Your travel insurance, whether purchased separately or included in your credit card purchases, may have clauses within it about family members who do not share the same address. Are your pre-existing conditions covered? There are certain travel insurance policies that may not cover pre-existing conditions and it is important to be apprised and knowledgeable about what exactly is included in your travel insurance.

It may be a good idea to rely on the experts in the field – insurance brokers can help determine what type of travel insurance is right for you, your family and your specific travel plans. You should know the exact inclusions, the maximum coverage, deductibles, etc. Further, insurance brokers can provide you with options that may be advantageous to you and your family members.

Travel insurance is put in place for protection. Just like automobile insurance is put in place to protect you should anything happen on the road at your own fault or not, travel insurance is meant to protect you. Weather, accidents, losses, emergencies, sickness, etc., can all happen at no fault of your own and beyond your control and if you do not have the proper coverage needed, the expenses will be out-of-pocket. If you have an adequate travel insurance policy, you can rest assured that you and/or your family are protected from the time that you secure the booking of your top, to the moment you land back at home.